Spitfire vs Bf 109: Battle of Britain: No. 5 (Duel)

Holmes, Tony

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1846031907 ISBN 13: 9781846031908

Publisher: Osprey Publishing, 2007

Churchill's words, 'never was so much owed by so many to so few', came to encapsulate how, in a few critical months, the entire fate of the British Empire, if not the war, hung in the balance, to be determined by a handful of pilots fighting tirelessly in the skies over Britain. Tony Holmes describes the Battle of Britain, the clash between the Spitfire I/II and the Bf 109E - detailing not only the key elements of both aircraft types - the airframe, engine, armament and flying characteristics, but also the pilots' training and tactics accompanied by diagrams of actual flight formations. The growing influence of radar and the efforts of British air defences are also examined, as are real-life engagements - from both German and British perspectives. With a wealth of first-hand accounts from the veterans who strapped themselves into these legendary machines as well as illustrations and cockpit-view artwork, this book puts the reader in the midst of a dogfight, providing a unique insight into one of the greatest duels of history in the world's first major aerial battle.

Review:

"With a wealth of first-hand accountsfrom the veterans who strapped themselves into these legendary machines as well as illustrations and cockpit-view artwork, this book puts the reader in the midst of a dogfight, providing a unique insight into one of the greatest duels of history in the world's first major aerial battle." --Flying Models (April 2008)

"Tony Holmes' Spitfire vs. BF 109: Battle of Britain uses first-hand accounts from veterans who flew the planes to chart strategy, narrowing the focus to reconaissance units and analyzing their procedures." --The California Bookwatch (January 2008)

"Tony Holmes covers all these salient features; design and development, technical specs, strategic situtation, the combatants, and a selection of combats that took place between the two... In all, an excellent addition to what is sure to become a popular series. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did." --Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com (November 2007)

Book Description:

This book will explain what it felt like to be a fighter pilot during those crucial moments of the Battle of Britain flying some of the most iconic planes to have ever graced the skies during a combat when both man and machine were tested to the limit.